The Masters (Star Reach)
The Masters are a parasitic species of leech like gastropods who once ruled the galaxy. The Masters by themselves are not considered 'sentient' beings as they lack tool use and the extent of their intellect when 'unjoined' is unknown. The Masters use their jawed tongue to break into a host's cranium where they devour the frontal lobe and link their nerves to a host which while still alive is effectively lobotomized. The Master effectively takes control of a 'Walker' in that they come to control voluntary movement, emotion, repression of socially unacceptable behavior, the projection of future consequence, and long term memory which they can then take to another 'Walker' should the current one expire. It's said that the Imperium of the Masters once ruled the galaxy though such is an exaggeration. History The Masters developed on a world along side another pre-sapient species which became the first 'Walkers'. In their early history the Masters where much like animals- but as their 'Walkers' began to develop sentience and form complex social connections and communities the Masters began to take on memory of these from the short term memory of afflicted 'Walkers' with some of those moving to long term. As the Walkers progressed so to did the Masters. When the Masters tried to 'communicate' with the 'Walkers' they where met with revulsion and the general perception among the Walkers was that these 'Demons from the Deep Places' where possessing their kin- plus the sight wasn't able to be hidden. A Master is rather apparent upon it's host- not concealed or hidden in any way. Naturally the Walkers resisted 'co-existance' and thus came a series of wars which ended with the Masters being victorious. As this new Master dominated age of slavery came upon the planet civilization entered into the Iron Age. Through out their history the Masters kept the mentality of needing to assert control over non-Masters for thier own security. Fearing their vulnerability without a host, and a repeat of first contact as told in the legends. An uncontrolled 'Walker' is a threat to every Master though control can be asserted in many forms. More 'Progressive' stances did arise in their history, hinging on ideas like voluntary sacrifice for the continuation of the masters to a more practical punishment for the severe criminal. Though both had their own set backs. Master society came to be dominated by Slaver guilds and Slave Merchant Houses forming a planetary oligarchy of influential Masters controlling the supply and regulation of labor and services. While naturally not all 'Masters' could be owners those without a Walker couldn't participate in 'civilized' society- having no means of communication, no means of tool use, no means of 'higher sensations'. Eventually a ruthless businessman became master of the world and through his influence established the Imperium of the Masters as a centralized government. Years where spent in the early space age solving issues like colonizing of inhospital lands, the logistics of a population management on other worlds, and interplanetary slave trade. When the Imperium of the Masters discovered another civilization, one that had yet to leave it's home system, it was only natural to control them rather then let them become a threat. In time the Imperium of the Masters became the largest Slave Society in their region of space, and in time found ways to interact more amiably with other life forms- in the form of selling and buying slaves from non-Master clients. Naturally it was slave unrest that destroyed the Imperium resulting in very diverse egalitarian libertarian states of various species emerging as the Masters over extended in their desperation for control- and thus could not manage the population which outnumbered them. Society and Culture 'The Masters' is a label applied to them by Walkers and adapted by themselves following the establishment of the Imperium of the Masters from which much of their united culture derives. The actual name for their species is 'Uag' (Ah-ug), derived from the more simple vocalizations they generated through Walkers in their early history. The Imperium was a Slave Society through and through; built upon acquiring and maintaining a population of laborers to sustain the higher living of the Uag. Society was built upon dominion, with a Corvee system and a hierarchy with the 'Emperor' on top followed by other nobles down to those Uag who do not possess a Walker who are considered below even the unjoined Walkers as they can't contribute in labor nor voice on matters of policy. Respect for this hierarchy was crucial to keeping order as it maintained peace within the Imperium among the Masters so they could stand united in keeping the Walkers in line. Early conflicts before unity came from a desire to rule others; conflicts brought to an end by a philosophical realization that not everyone can rule- one person is always on top and the struggle to be on top only harms them all. Thus the Imperium and it's monarch ended such conflict allowing the masters to focus on controlling their slaves. Physiology Uag are rather long lived for gastropods- reaching nearly 160 years of age at times.